A message to the community
| Dear community: We write to express our solidarity with the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, and to acknowledge the harm that black, indigenous, and people of colour (BIPOC) experience in our country as a result of systemic racism. This occurs at the hands of police and government officials, but also through our social structures, which prioritize and privilege white experience and property over BIPOC lives. As an organization and community guided by the teachings of Baba Hari Dass, we affirm our dedication to nonviolence (ahimsa), peace, and the pursuit of truth. In light of these values, we take this moment as an opportunity to reflect on ourselves and organization. This is not a new conversation within our board: as you may be aware, we are working on a strategic plan, and reconciliation with indigenous people, and decolonization has been a key action item. This strategic plan is not yet complete, but we hope to present it to the community at our AGM this fall. The board is also looking at ways to take action on the issues raised by the BLM movement in a more immediate manner, as part of this ongoing discussion. We recognize that these are uncomfortable conversations, but if we wish to see change in the world we need to start by educating and changing ourselves. For those of you looking for more resources, we recommend the work (and workbooks) of Robin DiAngelo (White Fragility and Deconstructing White Privilege). Her works are very eye and heart opening. In the meantime, if you would like to keep track of our progress, members of the society are always welcome to attend board meetings. In peace and solidarity, The DSSS board |
